Target



M. ZIEL Sept. 2, 1941..

TARGET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 21, 1939 I 0? Max Zz'e/ ATTORNEYSWITNESS Sept. 2, 1941. M, IEL 2,254,986

TARGET Filed Feb. 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Anya:

# +5 fi/mazz'el ATTOR N EYS Patented Sept. 2, 1941 STATES PATENT oFF c2,254,986 Ten er M x Ziel, Oswego, N. Y. Application February 21, 1939,Serial No. 257,756 7 Claims. (Cl. 27326) The invention relates to atarget and more particularly to a ball pitching target.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a target of thischaracter, wherein a baseball pitcher can acquire, a workout singlehanded for developing accuracy in the throwing of a baseball and at thesame time be subjected to tests in the pitching of curves, either insidecurves oroutside curves, balls, high and low,

and strike throws, the balls being readily and h easily retrieved inthat the same are back stopped.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a target of thischaracter, wherein a baseball pitcher can develope ball throws whenpitching to either right or left hand batters, the target beingadjustable for the setup of images representative of a baseball catcherand a batter in batting pose, both being in required positions at a homeplate, the target being novel in construction and in this fashionindicative of reality for the development and testing of the throws of abaseball by a Pitcher.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a target of thischaracter, wherein the same is readily and easily erected, adjusted andsustained in a visible position for the practice of ball throwing, thusfunctioning as a developer and tester for skill and accuracy in ballpitching.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a target ofthis character, which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable andefficient in operation, strong, durable, readily portable, beingcollapsible while not in use, and inexpensive to manufacture andinstall.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thefeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, which disclose the preferred embodiment of the invention andpointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the target constructed in accordance withthe invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing in detail the braceconnection with the hanger frame of the target.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 3 locking in thedirection of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a sectional view 'on the line 5--5 of Figure 2 looking inthe direction of the arrows.

of Figure l looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is .a sectional viewon the line !'I of Figure 1 looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the target constituting the presentinvention comprises a hanger frame Ill, in this instance made from metalpipe sections, joined together by an L-union il, one arm oftheframebeing perpendicularly arranged and rising from a suitable base i 2 whilethe remaining 'or other arm is horizontally disposed extending laterallyfrom the perpendicular arm of the frame and the base being of anyconstruction to sustain the frame inthe upright position without tiltingover and supporting the load hereinafter set forth.

Hung from the horizontalarm of the frame H3 is the target l3 in the formof a flexible sheet, preferably canvas, being hemmed at the top andbottom edges I4 and I5, respectively, for reinforcement andstrengthening purposes. Following the top hemmed end I4 inwardly of itshem is a row of eyelets It being properly spaced from each other forreceiving a separable suspension or hanger lacing l1 threadedtherethroughand trained over the horizontal arm of the frame in for thefastening of the sheet target H3 in a hanging or suspending position,the ends of the lacing being separably fastened in any desirable manner.

At the bottom edge l5 next to opposite lower corners of'the sheet areprovided eyelets l8 alternately engageable by a coiled retractile springl9 loosely connected to the base and this spring exerts a pulling actionon the sheet to hold it yieldably taut and in a smooth straightenedsuspended condition. J

The sheet l3 has thereon the representation of a baseball catcher 20.and a baseball batter 2|, respectively, each posed with respect to ahome plate 22, imitative to that of an actual baseball playing field,these representations being indicative of a catcher and batter posed asin the playing of an actual game of baseball, the representations beingvisible at opposite faces of the sheet l3 so that on reversal of thesaid sheet the batters position being changed from a right hand batterto a left hand batter or vice versa.

Correlated to the representation 20 are holes or openings 23, thesebeing provided in the sheet Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6655 and have their edges suitably reinforced, their positions being suchon the passage of a baseball therethrough to indicate a strike throw orhigh, low, inside or outside ball throw by a pitcher when throwing thebaseball at the target and in this manner a person can readily practiceand devlop ball throwing and also a test workout had singled handed.

The perpendicular arm of the frame has adjustably and separablyconnected thereto a brace 24, which is also connected to the base l2,the said brace being angularly disposed to the perpendicular and servesto sustain the frame ID in an upright position when the base I2 is uponafoundation, on level ground or the like. The brace 24 has formed at eachend 25 a suitable clearance 26 for a winged nut carrying bolt 21 and inthis manner the said brace is detachably secured in place. 7

Attached to the sheet I3 is a back stop section 28 of flexible material,being extended over the openings 23 rearwardly of the sheet when inconfronting position with respect to a ball thrower or pitcher and thissection carries adjustable fastening straps 29, being engageable inslots or openings 30 provided in the sheet [3. Thus when a ball passesthrough an opening 23 when thrown at the target, the back stop 28 trapsthe ball whence it will drop to the foundation or ground to beretrieved.

The sheet I3 is readily reversible and in reversed position is suspendedby the lacingengaged as hereinbefore set forth with the frame 10. A ballpitcher can readily practice ball pitching single handed on delivery toa right or left handed batter and also have strike and ball throws,thereby enabling development of ball pitching and also for testing aball thrower as to accuracy with the result that a thorough ballthrowing workout is attained single handed.

The back stop section 28 is shift-able to either side of the sheetaccording to the setup thereof in the frame for right hand batting orleft hand batting practice of a ball pitcher.

What is claimed is:

l. A target of the character described comprising a single verticalsupport, and a flexible sheet reversibly suspended from the upper end ofsaid support at one side thereof and having Visible images indicative ofa baseball catcher in a ball receiving position and batter in a ballstriking position, respectively, imitative of those in an actual game ofbaseball at opposite faces thereof, the images being effective for areverse stance on a reversal of the sheet, the said sheet being providedwith openings in association with the image indicative of the baseballcatcher and distributed relative thereto for accommodating a ball whenthrown to be indicative of a strike or ball count in an actual game ofbaseball.

2. A target of the character described comprising a single verticalsupport, a flexible sheet reversibly suspended from the upper end ofsaid support at one side thereof and having visible images indicative ofa baseball catcher in a ball receiving position and batter, in a ballstriking position, respectively, imitative of those in an actual game ofbaseball at opposite faces thereof, the images being effective for areverse stance on a reversal of the sheet, the said sheet being providedwith openings in association with the image indicative of the baseballcatcher and distributed relative thereto for accommodating a ball whenthrown to be indicative of a strike or ball count in an actual game ofbaseball, and

means associated with the sheet and with the support for sustaining thesaid sheet in a smooth taut condition.

3. A target of the character described comprising a single verticalsupport, a flexible sheet reversibly suspended from the upper end ofsaid support at one side thereof and having visible images indicative ofa baseball catcher in a ball receiving position and batter in a ballstriking position, respectively, imitative of those in an actual game ofbaseball at opposite faces thereof, the images being effective for areverse stance on a reversal of the sheet, the said sheet being providedwith openings in association with the image indicative of the baseballcatcher and distributed relative thereto for accommodating a ball whenthrown to be indicative of a strike or ball count in an actual game ofbaseball, means associated with the sheet and with the support forsustaining the said sheet in a smooth taut condition, and meansassociated with the support and the said sheet for reversely fasteningthe sheet with the support and on reversal altering the batterrepresentations position from a right hand to a left hand batter or viceversa.

4. A target of the character described comprising a single verticalsupport, a flexible sheet reversibly suspended from the upper end ofsaid support at one side thereof and having visible images indicative ofa baseball catcher in a ball receiving position and batter in a ballstriking position, respectively, imitative of those in an actual game ofbaseball at opposite faces thereof, the images being effective for areverse stance on a reversal of the sheet, means associated with thesheet and with the support for sustaining the said sheet in a smoothtaut condition, and means associated with the support and the said sheetfor reversely fastening the sheet with the support and on reversalaltering the batter representations position from a right hand to a lefthand batter or vice versa, the said sheet having openings disposed forreceiving a thrown ball and indicative of a strike or ball throw.

5. A target of the character described comprising a single verticalsupport, a flexible sheet reversibly suspended from the upper end ofsaid support at one side thereof and having visible images indicative ofa baseball catcher in a ball receiving position and batter in a ballstriking position, respectively, imitative of those in an actual game ofbaseball at opposite faces thereof, the images being effective for areverse stance on a reversal of the sheet, means associated with thesheet and with the support for sustaining the said sheet in a smoothtaut condition, means associated with the support and the said sheet forreversely fastening the sheet with the support and on reversal alteringthe batter representations position from a right hand to a left handbatter or vice versa, the said sheet having openings disposed forreceiving a thrown ball and indicative of a strike or ball throw, andmeans correlated to said openings and functioning as a back stop for aball when passed through the said openings.

6. A target of the character described comprising a single verticalsupport, a flexible sheet reversibly suspended from the upper end ofsaid support at one side thereof and having visible im'- ages indicativeof a baseball catcher in a ball receiving position and batter in a ballstriking position, respectively, imitative of those in an actual game ofbaseball, at opposite faces thereof, the images being effective for areverse stanceon a reversal of the sheet, means associated with thesheet and with the support for sustaining the said sheet in a smoothtaut condition, means associated with the support and the said sheet forreversely fastening the sheet with the support and on reversal alteringthe batter representations position from a right hand to a left handbatter or vice versa, the said sheet having openings disposed forreceiving a thrown ball and indicative of a strike or ball throw, meanscorrelated to said openings and functioning as a back stop for a ballwhen passed through the said openings, and means for separably fasteningthe back stop to the sheet at either side thereof.

7. A target of the character described comprising a flexible verticallydisposed reversible sheet having a pair of images visible from oppositesides thereof, one of the images being indicative of a baseball catcherin a ball receiving position and the other of said images indicative ofa batter in ball striking position, said sheet having openings thereinrelative to the catchers image thereon and adapted for the reception ofa ball when thrown as a strike or ball count, a single post overheadsupport for the said sheet, and means for reversely suspending the saidsheet from the single post overhead support at one side thereof. 7

MAX ZIEL.

